Virus World

The United States hit a record high number of confirmed daily coronavirus cases Friday, recording more than 83,000 new cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The number surpasses the previous record of more than 77,000 cases in mid-July. The U.S. also recorded 943 deaths due to COVID-19 on Friday. More than 8 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the virus, and more than 223,000 people have died from the disease since the pandemic began, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 42 million cases have been reported worldwide. One day earlier, 71,671 new coronavirus cases were reported in the U.S. on Thursday. Cases have been rising sharply in the U.S. since mid-September, with new outbreaks picking up in several states. Hospitalizations have also been on the rise.

The COVID Tracking Project reports 41,485 coronavirus patients were hospitalized as of Friday. The number is more than half of the highs recorded during the coronavirus surges in the spring and summer. Unlike past surges, where a few states drove up case numbers, the current high is being propelled by many states. Texas currently has the most recorded cases, followed by Illinois, Wisconsin and Florida. Despite the rise in cases, there has been some good news. Two peer-reviewed studies recently showed a drop in mortality among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, suggesting health care workers have gotten better at helping patients survive the disease. One study found that the mortality rate among hospitalized patients dropped from 25.6 percent to 7.6 percent. The mortality rate remains high compared with other diseases, and some continue to suffer complications long after recovering.

Newsom reports that 12,807 new coronavirus infections have been reported in the past 24 hours — a record high — bringing the state's total to 413,576.  As of Wednesday morning, data from Johns Hopkins University showed California had reported about 1,100 more cumulative COVID-19 cases than New York — which was besieged by the virus in the early spring but has since seen the numbers of newly confirmed infections, deaths and hospitalizations drop dramatically. California, however, is trending in the opposite direction. “It’s just another reminder … of the magnitude of impact that this virus continues to have,” he said.

Despite the higher case count, California has not experienced nearly as many fatalities as New York has. The Empire State has recorded more than 25,000 COVID-19 deaths, three times as many as California. Officials also were quick to point out that California’s population, by far the highest of any state, also plays a major role in its number of infections. The state’s population of nearly 40 million is more than double that of New York. California’s case rate per 100,000 residents, about 1,046, is significiantly lower than New York’s, which is just under 2,081, according to The Times’ coronavirus tracker. “I don’t myself over-read into the significance of that number,” California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said Tuesday when asked aboutCalifornia overtaking New York as the state with the most confirmed cases — pointing to both the state’s population and geographical size.

“I look at every day as an opportunity to do more and do better with our response to COVID-19, and at the end, I really expect and hope that California is going to be the state that adapted the most, learned the most, prepared the best and that we are going to really reduce its impact.” 

Newsom agreed that especially given the state’s size, “it’s not surprising now, in some respects, as we’ve begun to reopen key sectors of our economy, people continue to mix and people continue to come in close contact with others that may have contracted this disease, that our numbers would start to go up.” 

Newsom agreed that especially given the state’s size, “it’s not surprising now, in some respects, as we’ve begun to reopen key sectors of our economy, people continue to mix and people continue to come in close contact with others that may have contracted this disease, that our numbers would start to go up.”....